The present invention relates to a switch device, and more particularly, to a switch device having both a self-returning position and a self-holding position in each switch mechanism.
It is known to use a switch device having a self-returning position which is called a "manual operation position" and a self-holding position which is called on "automatic operation position" for a power window, a sun-roof, or the like in an automotive vehicle.
Such a switch device generally has three shift positions, i.e. a neutral position putting a mechanism into an OFF-state, a moving-up position putting the mechanism into a state where a glass of the power window, for example, is moved upward, and a moving-down position putting the mechanism into a state where the window glass is moved downward. Further, in each of the moving-up and moving-down positions there are two operation mode positions, i.e. a self-return position and a self-holding position. When a manipulator such as a knob is operated by hand to move from the neutral position into the self-returning position, the mechanism is shifted into the moving-up state or the moving-down state. However, when the manipulator is released to be returned to the neutral position, the mechanism is automatically shifted and returned to the OFF-state. On the contrary, once the manipulator is moved from the neutral position into the self-holding position across the self-returning position, a shifted electrical connection is held by a solenoid device to continue to hold the moving-up state or the moving-down state even when the manipulator is returned to the neutral position. The switch of this type is disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication Nos. 64-226 and 64-239.
In such a conventional switch device, the manipulator, such as a knob rotatably returnably mounted on a switch housing, is coupled and associated through an interconnecting member with a leaf-spring having a contact portion. The leaf-spring is depressed through the interconnecting member in accordance with an amount of rotation of the manipulator. The contact portion is thereby shifted into a desired state. Therefore, in order to appropriately set the self-returning position and the self-holding position in connection with the contact portion shifting stroke, each of component parts is required to have a high degree of dimensional precision, and the component parts are assembled with each other in high accuracy. Further, a high balancing between a biasing force of the leaf spring and a force of the solenoid device, which is to retain the shifted contact portion in place, is required in order to perform the self-holding operation.
In addition to the above-noted requirement, such a conventional switch device has an increased number of components, a complicated arrangement of components, and suffers from problems in producibility, stability of performance, reliability of operation, durability, or the like.